A Note on Sustainability vs. Vegan: “Vegan” and “sustainable” are not automatically synonymous.

While all of these materials are animal-free, none are fully “sustainable” in the strictest sense. Most rely on a polyurethane (PU) or similar polymer coating to achieve the durability and water resistance needed for a handbag. Keep in mind that to have a bag that is exclusively “vegan” is almost impossible, but this is such a popular topic that I knew I had to cover it in my Substack.

Agricultural Waste & Fruit Byproducts

Piñatex® (Pineapple Leather)

• Primary Source: Pineapple leaf fibers (harvest byproduct).

• Primary Country of Origin: Philippines (raw fiber extraction) & Spain (manufacturing/finishing).

• Composition: Non-woven fiber mesh coated with a resin topcoat (typically PU-based).

• Texture & Hand: Natural, crinkled grain with a dry, slightly stiff hand-feel.

• Best For: Structured totes, firm crossbody bags, and any design where a rustic, organic texture works. Not ideal for soft, slouchy silhouettes, as it does not drape like traditional animal hide.

  

  AppleSkin™ (Apple Leather)

• Primary Source: Apple peel and core waste (pomace) from juice/cider production.

• Primary Country of Origin: Italy.

• Composition: Apple pomace bound with a PU coating over a textile backing.

• Texture & Hand: Smooth, consistent, and pliable with a clean surface finish.

• Best For: Small leather goods, wallets, and smooth-surface bags requiring a uniform finish.

Desserto® (Cactus Leather)

• Primary Source: Organically grown Nopal cactus leaves.

• Primary Country of Origin: Mexico.

• Composition: Air-dried cactus fiber combined with a bio-polyurethane coating.

• Texture & Hand: Smooth, matte finish; slightly stiff with a synthetic-like feel.

• Best For: Structured bags, accent panels, and crossover footwear styles that hold a crisp edge well.

  

  Vegea® (Grape Leather)

• Primary Source: Grape skins, stalks, and seeds left over from winemaking.

• Primary Country of Origin: Italy.

• Composition: Grape pomace bound with a polymer coating on a fabric support.

• Texture & Hand: Smooth, flat, and uniform surface.

• Best For: Sleek, smooth-surface bags, small goods, and pieces prioritizing an even aesthetic over natural texture.

Banofi Leather (Banana Leather)

• Primary Source: Upcycled pseudostems and leaf waste from banana fruit farming.

• Primary Country of Origin: India (Kolkata, West Bengal).

• Composition: Banana fiber pulp bound with natural resins and bio-based polymers on a textile backing.

• Texture & Hand: Soft, pliable, smooth, and leather-like with natural tensile strength.

• Key Difference: Functions as a direct hide alternative (synthetic leather look and feel).

• Best For: Everyday handbags, structured totes, crossbody bags, and small leather goods.

Bananatex® / Banatex® (Banana Fabric)

• Primary Source: Abacá banana plant stem and leaf fibers.

• Primary Country of Origin: Philippines (cultivation & fiber extraction) / Taiwan & Switzerland (yarn spinning & manufacturing).

• Composition: Abacá banana fibers are often woven into heavy-duty canvas or blended with natural coatings.

• Texture & Hand: Textured and sturdy with medium-to-heavy body; less flexible than mycelium alternatives.

• Best For: Structured bags, textured panels, tote bodies, or heavy accent pieces.

Orange Fiber® (Orange Leather)

• Primary Source: Citrus peel byproduct from the juice industry.

• Primary Country of Origin: Italy.

• Composition: Bio-cellulose extracted from citrus, spun into yarn.

• Texture & Hand: Silky textile weave rather than a structural, hide-like material.

• Best For: Bag linings, soft interior panels, or decorative trim; behaves like a fabric, not leather.

Avoflex® (Avocado Leather)

• Primary Source: Avocado pits and peel waste from guacamole and commercial food processing.

• Primary Country of Origin: Mexico.

• Composition: Avocado biomass bound with a bio-based polymer coating over a textile backing.

• Texture & Hand: Pliable, medium-weight hand with a smooth, fine-grain surface.

• Best For: Structured totes, small leather goods, wallets, and exterior panels requiring a clean, uniform finish.

In my book, I have subsequent sections that cover Mycelium & Bio-Synthetics, Natural Plant & Tree Bark, and Petroleum Synthetics. If you're interested, let me know, and I will share those in future posts.

Make sure you tune in every Tuesday to Handbag Designer 101 Podcast to follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! We have SO many good interviews coming, and you don’t want to miss out.

And if you’re currently anywhere on your handbag journey, whether you’re sketching your very first design or looking for the exact strategy to scale your brand to retail shelves—check out the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass to learn how to skip the learning curve, save money, and build a brand that sells!

Subscribe now

As the author of Handbag Designer 101 and founder of the Independent Handbag Designer Awards, I dive into the real mechanics of the industry every week on my podcast, Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons.

Thanks to your amazing support and listening, we’ve grown so much! We are officially the #7 podcast for Fashion & Beauty, and to keep up with our incredible growth, we have moved to a brand-new podcasting platform: RedCircle! I couldn’t have done this without you—thank you for tuning in every week.

If you’re building a handbag brand, scaling an accessory line, or tracking consumer fashion trends, here are 3 essential episodes you need to add to your queue—and the key insights from each.

1. “Is the Handbag Dead? Jay Choyce Tibbitts on What’s Next for Luxury”

Duration: 34 mins | Listen: Apple Podcasts Link

What It’s About

Fashion creator and luxury strategist Jay Choyce Tibbitts joins me to answer a burning question in modern fashion: Are traditional handbags losing relevance, or are consumer carrying habits simply evolving?

Key Takeaways for Designers

• Function & Lifestyle Over Status: Soaring luxury prices, work-from-home culture, and Gen Z spending habits have changed why people carry bags. Heritage status alone is no longer enough to guarantee sales.

• The Rise of Alternative Discovery: Consumers are moving away from traditional department stores. Resale, independent boutiques, AI search, and curated shopping experiences are becoming the primary discovery hubs for emerging brands.

• Culture Drives Demand: Mid-tier and heritage brands thriving today (like Coach) are succeeding because they connect directly to youth culture and lifestyle utility rather than relying solely on legacy branding.

2. “Trade Shows, Future of Wholesale & How Handbags Changed Retail”

Duration: 40 mins | Listen: Apple Podcasts Link

What It’s About

Dorothy Belshaw, CEO and co-owner of NY NOW, breaks down how wholesale buying has transformed, why physical trade shows remain critical in a digital-first market, and how independent brands can land retail stockists.

Key Takeaways for Designers

• Wholesale Isn’t Dead, It’s Curated: Digital channels haven’t killed trade shows or wholesale—buyers still want in-person touchpoints, material inspection, and relationship-building before committing budget.

• Handbags as Expression & Lifestyle: Handbags have shifted from purely functional items into lifestyle and self-expression purchases, opening up major shelf space in gift and specialty retail markets beyond traditional fashion boutiques.

• Stand Out with Tight Merchandising: Retail buyers look for strong, focused concepts rather than massive, unfocused collections. Precision curation and clear storytelling win retail orders.

3. “Made in China vs. Made in Italy: What Luxury Brands Don’t Tell You”

Duration: 60 mins | Listen: Apple Podcasts Link

What It’s About

Product development expert and designer Karrica pulls back the curtain on luxury manufacturing, global sourcing, finishing laws, and what really dictates product quality beyond country-of-origin labels.

Key Takeaways for Designers

• The “Made in Italy” Myth: A label doesn’t guarantee superior craftsmanship. Misleading finishing laws mean “Made in Italy” items often rely on manufacturing stages completed elsewhere.

• Quality Lies in Sourcing & Construction: Material choice, hardware quality, and factory capabilities matter infinitely more than the country stamped on the dust bag. China houses some of the world’s most advanced, high-precision leather goods manufacturing.

• Pricing with Transparency: Building a sustainable brand requires clear customer profiling, honest manufacturing narratives, and margins that account for full product development cycles.

Make sure you tune in every Tuesday to follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

And if you’re currently anywhere on your handbag journey, whether you’re sketching your very first design or looking for the exact strategy to scale your brand to retail shelves—check out the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass to learn how to skip the learning curve, save money, and build a brand that sells!

Subscribe now

I started Handbag Designer 101 about the same time as PurseBlog. I personally wrote it every day for almost ten years. I had a “Designer of the Day,” with an independent designer that I interviewed (of which there were thousands…), Bag Trend, which I used industry experts, Street Style, where I personally went and shot randoms who were carrying not-so-recognizable brands, and from that - I was able to populate the talent pool for the Handbag Awards. Seven years in, I even had a commerce platform where we sold those brands because it seems illogical to feature them if they couldn’t be purchased.

I saw PurseBlog explode, deservedly so; I saw Meg hustle, marry Vlad, and, most notably, feature those brands that people want to claim they don’t want right now. I am not sure if I was even on her radar, but the takeaway that I was always hearing “You will be bigger and make more money if you feature established bigger brands.” I never knew what to say to that other than, I just wasn’t fluent the way she was, and I felt, with my background as an accidental handbag designer and professor, I just couldn’t be that person either. I also never posted about my family or my kids other than on Facebook when they were little-little. I had publicists tell me time and time again, “Share your personal life; you will get more followers and brand deals.” But much like the agent who offered me my own reality show and said I would be the next Bethanny with my sharp tongue and handbag wit- that what I did, and what I was good at, was just never that.

I was with, and most comfortable with, the designers who nobody knew. I mean, nobody. My legacy organically went from independent designer to the Handbag Awards, with mentoring, pop-ups, symposiums, ghostwriting handbag editorial, and, oddly enough, being a handbag designer talent scout. Ironically, when Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur launched Of a Kind, I was shocked and borderline jealous of the attention they received. Here I had been for almost ten years working with these designers, helping them break into the industry, giving them opportunities, and I was still working just as hard as the people I was finding, if not harder, to make sure they didn’t blow their moment and become another as I called it Basement to Beyonce situation. I reached out to both girls, as well as Meg, when they started and introduced myself, since I felt it was good for everyone to have more people in the handbag world, but they were on their path, and I was staying in mine. I was saddened when Bed, Bath & Beyond shut down Of a Kind post-acquisition in 2019, since without that mainstream validation, doing what I do would get a lot harder.

There was a moment when InStyle/Time Inc. had expressed interest in acquiring Handbag Designer 101, and a time when a major trade show was at the precipice of acquiring The Handbag Awards in February 2020, but keeping the mindset of everything happens for a reason - neither of those did. But the community of handbag designers I had built was falling apart. I knew it. I saw it. I had DMs from designers asking what I could do for them since they were remaining in anonymity, and without my help, support, or acknowledgment, they would essentially remain an alternate for the minor leagues.

Three years into my podcast, Handbag Designer 101, it has grown tremendously, with strong downloads and listenership. When the New York Times called me the Handbag Fairy Godmother in 2018, I took that role seriously since this essentially has been the longest day job I have ever had. I feel honored that although I never made it to the level of , I can call her a friend. Or that the designers that broke their way into Barneys, and Neimans, and my not be there now, I can talk to them remain in awe and inspired by their story of grit.

What I will say though, for as much as I have been shouting from the rooftops that NOW IS THE TIME OF THE INDEPENDENT DESIGNER - is it really? I have fought designers whose bags have been over $600 at retail and said customers will buy a used Gucci before dropping cash on an unknown so know your USP (Unique Selling Point) and as Karrica said, be ten toes down in knowing who you are. There is just much to creating a brand, let a long a handbag brand, that I would still like to share and give hope that even as Vanessa Friedman’s New York Style “Ask Vanessa: Is the Handbag Over?” that it looks like was one of the most highly responded features because people have a LOT of feelings about handbags - I can tell you, people definitely have not stopped making them. Just listen to my episode with Jay Choyce Tibbitts and you are will agree with me, or not…

Anti-It Bag or not, independent designers haven’t just suddenly arrived, they have always been here, quietly shaping the soul of this industry while the legacy labels rely on repeat formulas. I’ve been right beside them in the trenches from day one, and I’m not leaving. Think of me as the coach in their corner, cheering them on and making sure they finally break through to the major leagues. So if you’re ready to look past the commercial noise and back real, uncompromised talent, follow along, we’re going to make sure these designers get their long-overdue spotlight, and finally cash in on the moment they’ve earned.

Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.

Subscribe now

This season was a complete turnaround. Under new management, NY NOW underwent a massive floor-wide refresh in structure, flow, and spirit. At the heart of this revival was curated and back for the third time, THE IT BAG x NY NOW showcase. Featuring a tightly curated group of 10 independent handbag designers selected for their craftsmanship, originality, and retail readiness, the showcase brought a wave of optimism, incredible design storytelling, and robust sales for independent designers.

1. Bold Branding & A Fresh Layout

The moment you walked into the section, the change in direction was obvious. The iconic yellow NY NOW x IT BAG entrance signage set the stage for an elevated, high-energy environment built specifically to highlight independent accessories talent.

2. Strong Sales & Serious Business

Order pads were out, digital line sheets were getting scanned, and real business was being done on the floor. Buyers weren’t just passing through—they were actively placing orders for unique, standout handbag silhouettes.

From sitting down over collection specs to scanning QR codes for instant wholesale ordering, the section was buzzing with active deal-making throughout the entire show. Whether discussing order minimums or reviewing colorways, the interaction between buyers and founders was constant.

3. The Summer Designer Lineup & Standout Trends

Returning Favorites

• RAPT New York (@rapt.new.york) — Nicole Levy (Returning 2nd Time)

  • Origin: New York, NY | Made in: NYC Garment Center | Retail: $350–$495

  • The Edge: Designed by a veteran manufacturer for some of the biggest contemporary brands, Rapt blends Italian leather with edgy mixed metals for a seamless day-to-night transition.

    

• ANA LAVERDE (@analaverde.leather) — Ana María Laverde (Returning 2nd Time)

  • Origin & Made in: Bogotá, Colombia | Retail: $500

  • The Edge: Exceptional geometry and vibrant color stories for the urban woman. These light Napa leather bags are deeply rooted in Colombian heritage with a modern, high-fashion twist.

    

• ELEMOOD (@elemood.official) — Sujin Osatarayakul & Kazumi Takahashi (Returning 3rd Time)

  • Origin: Japan/Thailand | Made in: Thailand | Retail: $200–$300

  • The Edge: Founded by an architect, ELEMOOD explores the dialogue between Bauhaus structure and Japanese origami. These sculptural, geometric bags are as practical as they are artistic. (Carried at Wolf & Badger LA & Soho NYC).

    

New to the Showcase

• Richtmann Sweden (@richtmann_atelier) — Markus Richtmann

  • Origin & Made in: Skellefteå, Sweden | Retail: €700–€900

  • The Edge: Handmade using premium Swedish quality leather. Every bag features his signature wrap-around strap that threads through the Richtmann sign—a detail originally designed for his wife, Frida.

    

• Daneault (@shopdaneault) — Penny Crook

  • Origin: Loudon, TN | Made in: Kolkata, India | Retail: $225–$475

  • The Edge: Features the world’s first and only patented luxury leather reversible handbags. Inspired by a 50-year-old family heirloom, these bags offer two designer looks in one without compromising structure.

    

• Sieme (@we.are.sieme) — Cassandra Kane

  • Origin: Los Angeles, CA | Made in: Tuscany, Italy | Retail: $250–$1,100

  • The Edge: 100% upcycled luxury. Sieme rescues leather discarded by the Italian luxury industry, transforming it into hand-woven, knotted, and macramé masterpieces via family-run Tuscan workshops.

    

• Siena Wolf (@siena__wolf) — Lori Tyberg

  • Origin: Los Angeles, CA | Made in: Florence, Italy | Retail: $1,350–$1,890

  • The Edge: Named after her children, Siena Wolf represents a deliberate return to intentional design. These bags offer high-level Italian craftsmanship and lasting design built for everyday life.

    

• Ann Gaylord (@anngaylordbags) — Ann Gaylord

  • Origin: Baltimore, MD | Made in: USA | Retail: $400

  • The Edge: A whimsical take on luxury; these bags are handcrafted from real sports balls. Fully customizable with spunky embellishments and interchangeable handles, they are the ultimate personalized gift.

    

• GAG (@gagbag.mx) — Gabriela Sánchez & Ana González Barragán

  • Origin: Mexico City, Mexico | Made in: León, Guanajuato, Mexico | Retail: $40–$280

  • The Edge: Minimalist, durable essentials made from LWG-certified Mexican leather. GAG follows a fair trade model and offers repair services to ensure each piece lasts a lifetime.

    

Exclusive Collaboration Returns

• Handbag Designer 101 x BAIKAL

  • Continuing the momentum of previous shows, this exclusive capsule collection returned with Emily Blumenthal and Nicole Levy of the Baikal Handbag Factory. The collaboration introduced a vintage-inspired silhouette—aptly named “The It Bag”—blending timeless design with modern relevance to create the next must-have style for serious handbag collectors.

4. Community, Engagement, & True Connection

Beyond order writing, the show re-introduced interactive design touchpoints and one-on-one connections that made the event feel truly collaborative.

Designers and buyers alike gravitated toward interactive stations like the Savvy Suzanna sketching program, encouraging attendees to draw, ideate, and share their own handbag silhouettes.

From quiet 1-on-1 consultations to lively booth discussions, the human element of fashion wholesale was fully on display.

5. The Joy Is Back

More than anything, what defined this season was the genuine camaraderie and contagious optimism. The feeling of community that had been missing in recent years was fully restored.

Designers were celebrating each other’s wins, snapping group photos, and filling the hall with energy from opening hour until the final close. The IT BAG showcase proved that when brilliant curation meets fresh event management, wholesale trade shows remain an irreplaceable powerhouse for independent fashion.

Subscribe now

The It Bag is not just a trade show booth; it is a premier destination. Featuring only the best-selling “It Bags” from each designer, the space is designed to mirror the experience of shopping a luxury accessories floor at Nordstrom rather than navigating a traditional wholesale market. You can hear more about NY NOW’s new wholesale and retail strategy from Dorothy Belshaw, CEO and co-owner, on this week’s episode of Handbag Designer 101 Podcast.

The It Bag Summer 2026 Designer Lineup

The Summer 2026 edition features a tightly curated group of 10 independent handbag designers selected for their exceptional craftsmanship, originality, and retail readiness:

RETURNING FOR THE SECOND TIME

• Nicole Levy — RAPT New York (@rapt.new.york)

  • Origin: New York, NY | Made in: NYC Garment Center

  • Retail: $350–$495

  • The Edge: Designed by the manufacturer for some of the biggest contemporary brands, Rapt blends Italian leather with edgy mixed metals for a seamless day-to-night transition.

  • Retailers: Gito (NJ), Julian Gold (TX).

• Ana María Laverde — ANA LAVERDE (@analaverde.leather)

  • Origin: Bogotá, Colombia | Made in: Bogotá, Colombia

  • Retail: $500

  • The Edge: Exceptional geometry and vibrant color stories for the urban woman. These light Napa leather bags are rooted in Colombian heritage with a modern, high-fashion twist.

RETURNING FOR THE THIRD TIME

• Sujin Osatarayakul & Kazumi Takahashi — ELEMOOD (@elemood.official)

  • Origin: Japan/Thailand | Made in: Thailand

  • Retail: $200–$300

  • The Edge: Founded by an architect, ELEMOOD explores the dialogue between Bauhaus structure and Japanese origami. These sculptural, geometric bags are as practical as they are artistic.

  • Retailers: Wolf & Badger (LA & Soho NYC).

NEW TO THE SHOWCASE

• Markus Richtmann — Richtmann Sweden (@richtmann_atelier)

  • Origin: Skellefteå, Sweden | Made in: Sweden

  • Retail: €700–€900

  • The Edge: Handmade using premium Swedish quality leather. Every bag features his signature wrap-around strap that threads through the Richtmann sign—a detail originally designed for his wife, Frida.

• Penny Crook — Daneault (@shopdaneault)

  • Origin: Loudon, TN | Made in: Kolkata, India

  • Retail: $225–$475

  • The Edge: Features the world’s first and only patented luxury leather reversible handbags. Inspired by a 50-year-old family heirloom, these bags offer two designer looks in one without compromising structure.

  • Retailers: Reeds Dept Store, Draper James.

• Cassandra Kane — Sieme (@we.are.sieme)

  • Origin: Florence, Italy | Made in: Tuscany, Italy

  • Retail: $250–$1,100

  • The Edge: 100% upcycled luxury. Sieme rescues leather discarded by the Italian luxury industry, transforming it into hand-woven, knotted, and macramé masterpieces via family-run Tuscan workshops.

• Lori Tyberg — Siena Wolf (@siena__wolf)

  • Origin: Los Angeles, CA | Made in: Florence, Italy

  • Retail: $1,350–$1,890

  • The Edge: Named after her children, Siena Wolf represents a deliberate return to intentional design. These bags offer high-level Italian craftsmanship and lasting design for a sophisticated everyday life.

  

• Ann Gaylord — Ann Gaylord (@anngaylordbags)

  • Origin: Baltimore, MD | Made in: USA

  • Retail: $400

  • The Edge: A whimsical take on luxury; these bags are handcrafted from real sports balls. Fully customizable with spunky embellishments and interchangeable handles, they are the ultimate personalized gift.

• Gabriela Sánchez & Ana González Barragán — GAG (@gagbag.mx)

  • Origin: Mexico City, Mexico | Made in: León, Guanajuato, Mexico

  • Retail: $40–$280

  • The Edge: Minimalist, durable essentials made from LWG-certified Mexican leather. GAG follows a fair trade model and offers repair services to ensure each piece lasts a lifetime.

  • Retailers: Denver Museum of Contemporary Art.

Exclusive Collaboration Returns

Handbag Designer 101 x BAIKAL

Continuing the momentum of previous shows, this exclusive capsule collection returns with Emily Blumenthal and Nicole Levy of the Baikal Handbag Factory. The collaboration introduces a vintage-inspired silhouette—aptly named “The It Bag”—blending timeless design with modern relevance to create the next must-have style for serious handbag collectors.

Visit the Showcase

The Summer 2026 collections will be on view at The It Bag x NY NOW, August 2–4, 2026, in aisle 400, adjacent to Luxury Lifestyle, at the Jacob Javits Center, New York City. Don’t forget to tune into Handbag Designer 101 Podcast, where you can catch the stories of our incredible lineup of talented designers.

Buyers and press are invited to experience these highly curated collections firsthand in a premium environment designed for discovery and high-velocity sell-through.

Subscribe now

If your podcast queue is backed up, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here is your ultimate cheat sheet summarizing the last five episodes of the Handbag Designer 101 podcast. And fun fact: a lot of you have been tuning in, like over 15,000 downloads last week alone, so thank you for that!

Handbag Designer 101 podcast has become a labor of love, knowing we reach not only the industry and designers, but also those of us who are just obsessed with handbags. See below, and we know you will enjoy what you have missed so far.

1. Made in China vs. Made in Italy: What Luxury Brands Don’t Tell You

Guest: Karicca (Designer & Product Development Expert) Run Time: 1h

Does a “Made in Italy” stamp automatically mean superior quality? In this eye-opening episode, product development powerhouse Karicca pulls back the curtain on how global supply chains actually operate.

• The Reality Check: Karicca breaks down how finishing laws can be incredibly misleading and what truly determines product quality beyond a country label.

• Founder Fuel: She shares practical lessons from launching her own brand while juggling a full-time career—focusing on pricing strategies, marketing, and navigating today’s highly crowded marketplace.

  Listen Here

2. From Recycled Plastic to a Global Bag Brand: How Got Bag Found Product-Market Fit

Guest: Kathrin Melchior (Got Bag) Run Time: 30m

Can ocean-bound plastic genuinely scale into a global accessories brand? Kathrin Melchior shares the fascinating evolution of Got Bag, taking us from a humble crowdfunding idea to a major street-style staple.

• The Secret Sauce: Transitioning from a fast-moving global retailer to a purpose-driven startup, Kathrin explains why stellar products come from constant testing, not just “good taste.”

• The Pivot: She reveals the exact customer insight that prompted Got Bag to expand from standard backpacks into handbags, proving that knowing exactly who buys your product is the ultimate breakthrough.

  Listen Here

3. Know Your Customer or Lose Your Brand

Guest: Alex Greifeld (Growth Marketing Consultant) Run Time: 41m

Why do some brands explode while others completely stall out? Growth marketing consultant Alex Greifeld makes it simple: it all comes down to defining your ideal customer.

• Data vs. Instinct: Drawing on her extensive background with heavy hitters like FIT, Jones New York, Tibi, and Tapestry, Alex details how top brands successfully balance creative instinct with hard market data.

• The Blueprint: This episode delivers a tactical roadmap for founders looking to grow smarter, covering unique selling propositions, unit economics, customer acquisition costs, and the reasons unconventional brands like Brandy Melville win.

  Listen Here

4. Turning Leather Waste into Luxury Handbags

Guest: Cassandra Kane (Founder of Sieme) Run Time: 35m

What happens when an insider witnesses the staggering amount of waste in the Italian luxury manufacturing system? You start a revolution. Cassandra Kane details how moving to Florence entirely transformed her view of craftsmanship and sustainability.

• The Birth of Sieme: After designing for major fashion houses, Cassandra founded Sieme—an upcycled handbag brand utilizing leather offcuts and overstock to craft modern, luxury accessories.

• The Green Struggle: She dives deep into the hidden costs of luxury production and the unique uphill battles of building an authentic, circular fashion business.

  Listen Here

5. Why Gen Z Buys Luxury Differently: Insights from Hitha Herzog

Guest: Hitha Herzog (Chief Research Officer at H Squared Research) Run Time: 40m

How does a generation skip credit card debt but confidently drop thousands on a vintage Balenciaga or a Fendi Baguette? Hitha Herzog breaks down the fascinating economic and cultural forces shaping how Gen Z interacts with luxury.

• The Resale Boom: From the rapid rise of the circular economy to the massive popularity of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services, younger consumers are constantly balancing deep aspirations with caution.

• The K-Shaped Economy: Hitha unpacks the “K-shaped economy,” illustrating how two distinct consumers can experience the exact same market in polar-opposite ways, and what that means for the future of fashion.

  Listen Here

💡 The Big Picture

If there’s one golden thread tying these five episodes together, it’s that authenticity, customer alignment, and supply chain awareness are no longer optional—they are the survival kit for modern handbag brands.

Which of these episodes are you queueing up first? Let us know in the comments below!

Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.

Subscribe now

Fashion and food share a deeply symbiotic relationship. Both react instantly to cultural shifts, color psychology, and our collective craving for sensory comfort. Walking the floor of the international Summer Fancy Food Show, I saw a phenomenon known as “SenseMaxxing” everywhere. Consumers are officially rebelling against sterile, cold minimalism. In a hyper-digital world, we are starved for tactile textures, comforting color, and a hit of childhood nostalgia.

For accessory designers, the grocery aisle is a direct crystal ball. When our taste buds crave indulgence, our wardrobes follow. Here is your condensed trend report.

1. The “Savory Palette” Shakes Up the Color Wheel

Luxury leather has been trapped in a “Quiet Luxury” cleanse of sterile creams and safe beiges. The food floor proves the collective eye is starved for rich, appetizing tones that trigger a nostalgic, comforting emotional response.

Deep Ube Purples & Patisserie Pastels

Move over, lilac. The breakout pastel is a rich, earthy, royal purple rooted in global heritage flavors.

It pairs perfectly with soft confectionery pinks and licorice magentas that mimic a high-end candy case.

Sunday-Sauce Reds

Warm, comforting primaries are back. We are seeing a major shift toward savory reds and carotenes that evoke comfort, hearth, and home.

2. The Shape Shift — Pillow Clouds vs. Patisserie Hard-Cases

Our desire for tactile comfort versus clean structure has split modern accessory design into a fascinating duel: maximum squish versus rigid geometry.

Hyper-Inflated Comfort

The desire for protective, cloud-like volume has reached a delightful extreme.

This Bottega Veneta Padded Tech Cassette “inspired” tote mimics the playful, blown-up proportions of food branding. It’s un-serious, cozy, highly tactile, and validates the consumer's desire for affordability and joy.

The Graphic Shield & Baked Box Bag

In direct opposition, we are seeing a surge in flat, rigid geometric shapes worn flush against the body, alongside crisp, modular lines that mimic luxury pastries.

3. “Kidult Candy-Core” & The Bag Charm Renaissance

The candy aisle is predicting a major wave of playful, nostalgic accessorizing that brings pure childhood joy back to dressing. Uniform rows of vintage candy buttons and pixelated arcade graphics are a preview of upcoming bubbly, sensory hardware.

Why Bag Charms Form the Ultimate Connection

This brings us to the biggest trend on the runway right now: The Bag Charm Renaissance.

Why are consumers suddenly clipping plush boba cups, miniature food replicas, and nostalgic plastic trinkets onto $2,000 leather bags? Because charms are the bridge between luxury and personality.

When high-end fashion becomes too uniform or sterile, consumers use nostalgic, tactile charms to “vandalize” their luxury items with wit. Food mascots trigger an immediate emotional comfort. A bag charm is a low-stakes, highly visual way to tell the world exactly what your specific taste profile is. It turns a serious status symbol into an un-serious conversation starter.

The Gastrofashion Nexus: Why It Works

Why does a specialty food packaging trend dictate luxury leather goods? Because of Gastrofashion.

The Democratic Entry Point: A consumer might not instantly drop thousands on a high-fashion handbag, but they can buy a $15 jar of beautifully branded specialty sauce. Specialty food acts as a democratic sandbox. When an aesthetic succeeds in the food space, it primes the mainstream palette for fashion to capitalize on later.

The Shared Language of Craftsmanship: The precision of a perfectly layered container relies on the exact same principles as high-end leather design: weight distribution, structural integrity, and symmetry.

The Designer’s Digest

Consumers are tired of the quiet, the colorless, and the sterile. Whether buying an ingredient or a shoulder bag, they want heavy tactile texture, rich heritage flavors, or a sense of retro humor.

Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.

Subscribe now

One big takeaway: how much leather was used on each bag. If you scan the last post and the bags below, you will see the amount of soft and distressed leather - it’s a wonder why there were so many leather suppliers, and why their retail shops were booming and always crowded with new designers. I digress…

I had several private messages that I missed some key talent and bags, so as the voice of the independent designer, I felt it was important to continue to give credit where credit is due. See below the next top 10, and please share your handbag memories. I know the designers would enjoy the love after all of the years they put into creating such monumental brands. This was a golden era for handbags, “as seen in,” and scoring editorial in Lucky Magazine.

• Treesje — The “It Bag”: The Asher

  ○ The Founders: Laura Darrah and Sheila Nazarian. They are no longer part of the business. After massive celebrity placement with anyone who was anyone, scaling an independent line without private-equity safety nets caught up with them.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The founders quietly ceased production and dissolved the label in the early 2010s. However, the duo didn't leave the accessories space—they continued to work together as fashion entrepreneurs, launching subsequent contemporary handbag lines such as Joelle Hawkens and She + Lo.

• Gustto — The “It Bag”: The Andrea

  ○ The Founder: Agathe Planchon. She is no longer part of the business, having entirely self-funded the Southern California-based brand through its massive editorial and paparazzi peak, where it became a core fixture at Barneys and Bendel.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand shuttered in the early 2010s, post-recession, as independent production and leather import overheads became unsustainable without a private equity cushion.

• Deux Lux — The “It Bag”: Felix Duffel

  ○ The Founders: Sara Naghedi and her mother, Fany Naghedi. Sara took everything she learned about the market from the original line’s run to evolve her business.

  ○ Where it is today: Pivoted & Rebranded. While the original Deux Lux line eventually ceased production, founder Sara Naghedi pivoted and launched NAGHEDI in 2016, which has since become a massive success in high-end contemporary retail.

  

• Linea Pelle — The “It Bag”: The Dylan Tote

  ○ The Founders: Mira and Wynn Katz. They transitioned the brand away from its original mid-2000s structure to survive changing retail landscapes.

  ○ Where it is today: Still in business. While they initially navigated heavy headwinds from department stores in the 2010s, the brand survived by shifting to a lean private-label design house for national retailers and adopting a direct-to-consumer digital model.

  

• C. C. Skye — The “It Bag”: The Lucy Bag

  ○ The Founder: CC Skye. She is no longer part of the fashion business, having shifted her creative focus away from the grueling retail calendar after a massive decade-long run as a staple at a premium contemporary department store and boutique.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand quietly wound down its massive wholesale operation in the 2010s. Founder CC Skye went on to study spiritual psychology and herbalism, officially launching a luxury plant-medicine and farm-to-bottle wellness atelier called The WYLDER 33.

  

• Lauren Merkin — The “It Bag”: The Eve Clutch

  ○ The Founder: Lauren Merkin. She is no longer part of the business. Operating as a completely self-funded, independent venture designed and produced right in New York City, she achieved massive shelf space at both Barneys and Henri Bendel.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The label quietly wrapped up production and closed its doors in 2015 as consumer habits shifted away from boutique evening-specific accessories.

• Sang A — The “It Bag”: The River Tote

  ○ The Founder: Sang A Im-Propp. She remains fully involved, successfully retaining full independent control over her brand. After moving to NYC and graduating from Parsons, the former South Korean pop star launched her namesake label in 2006 and quickly joined the CFDA in 2010.

  ○ Where it is today: Still in business. She continues to steer her namesake brand from New York, operating independently while expanding her signature edgy-luxury aesthetic into fine jewelry.

• Big Buddha — The “It Bag”: The Fringe Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Jeremy Bassan. He is no longer part of the business. Founded in 2003 by Bassan from his Santa Barbara home, the label became an affordable fashion juggernaut before being officially acquired by the retail giant Steve Madden in 2010.

  ○ Where it is today: Acquired & Transitioned. Bassan continued to steer operations through 2013 before fully exiting the fashion space to focus on boutique real estate investment, while the brand was eventually phased out of standalone production as consumer habits shifted.

• Devi Kroell — The “It Bag”: The Python Large Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Devi Kroell. She is no longer part of the business. After launching in New York, the brand became the absolute holy grail of the Barneys accessory floor, culminating in Kroell winning the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for Accessory Design in 2006.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. Following an iconic Target designer collaboration in 2009 and subsequent corporate acquisitions, the original luxury house closed its high-end flagship operations, though vintage pieces remain highly prized collector items online.

  

• Tylie Malibu — The “It Bag”: The Nomad Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Lisa Tylie Izad. She is no longer part of the business. Launched out of her parents’ home before moving to downtown LA’s Art District, she built the line into a massive cult obsession and a certified bestseller on the contemporary floor at Henri Bendel and trendsetting spots like Kitson.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand wrapped up wholesale production in the 2010s, and Lisa transitioned into custom wardrobe and design styling for prominent Hollywood names.

  

  Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.

  Subscribe now

This time overlapped with the internet boom, when having a website posed a threat to your wholesale customers, but it was also a time when having a store commit to a “Meet the Designer” event was like graduating to the majors. When I was discovered with my Yasmena bag during a Henri Bendel Open See, I was offered a coveted trunk show slot. I was so drained from being on the retail floor from 11 am to 7 pm for three days straight, with no breaks, that I actually fainted as I walked out the door. I was terrified that one of the buyers would see and then reconsider carrying my line. That’s how competitive that time was.

See this golden list of ten below, and this is a history lesson you will enjoy.

• Botkier — The “It Bag”: The Trigger Bag (Edgy NYC streetwear with distinct multi-zipper compartments and fan tassels).

  

  • The Founder: Monica Botkier. She is no longer part of the business, having fully exited after selling the brand to the production and licensing company Showroom35 (which also handled manufacturing for brands like Juicy Couture and Vince Camuto).

  • Where it is today: Still in business. It operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand focused on accessible contemporary bags and footwear.

• Rebecca Minkoff — The “It Bag”: The Morning After Bag / MAB (Slouchy satchel with signature front zip detailing and long leather fringe).

  

  • The Founder: Rebecca Minkoff. She remains deeply involved as the brand’s Creative Director.

  • Where it is today: Still in business. In 2022, the brand was acquired by Sunrise Brands, an apparel licensing and holding company, for roughly $13 million (which had previously purchased Joie, Equipment, and Current/Elliott). It continues to expand its global retail footprint.

• Matt & Nat — The “It Bag”: The Mitsuko Satchel (Clean, highly architectural structures crafted entirely from vegan leather and recycled lining).

  

  • The Founder: Inder Bedi. He is no longer part of the business. After running the brand independently for 18 years, he sold his remaining stakes and walked away in 2013 due to corporate disagreements over offshore production shifts.

  • Where it is today: Still in business. Owned and managed by the Canadian retail group The Centennial Collection, it operates globally from Montreal, with independent storefronts and a widespread network of wholesale accounts.

• Foley + Corinna — The “It Bag”: The Mid City Tote (The ultimate downtown NYC fold-over rectangular tote that converts into a crossbody).

  

  • The Founders: Dana Foley and Anna Corinna. They are no longer part of the business. They transitioned creative control and ownership out of the company to scale up distribution. Dana currently runs a namesake vintage-boho boutique on the Lower East Side, and Anna focuses on luxury vintage curation.

  • Where it is today: Still in business. In 2015, the brand was officially bought out by the accessory and apparel licensing specialists at L&M Direct, who transitioned the brand’s modern line to focus on PETA-approved vegan leather and lean e-commerce.

• Gryson — The “It Bag”: The Olivia Bag (Braided, a massive, slouchy satchel with basket-weave heavy tubular top handles, and unique dual buckle-down shoulder straps.)

  

  • The Founder: Joy and Peter Gryson. They remain fully involved as the titular lead designer, steering the ship independently.

  • Where it is today: Still in business. Operating without the standard private equity intervention, the brand intentionally pulled back from mass US department-store distribution and found highly lucrative, upscale success by pivoting to international luxury and Asian contemporary fashion markets.

• Hayden-Harnett — The “It Bag”: The Lorca Bag (Slouchy but structured shapes accented by unique custom hardware and signature, wildly colorful art-print interior linings).

  

  • The Founders: Toni Hacker and Ben Harnett. They are no longer part of the business. Toni Hacker sold the brand’s intellectual property to The Accessories Network Group (ANG), a massive accessory conglomerate and licensing house, to keep the brand alive before transitioning into separate design consulting work.

  • Where it is today: Still in business. Under its modern licensing framework, it completely restructured itself away from its original mid-2000s boutique model to operate as a direct-to-consumer, eco-conscious vegan leather line.

• Kooba — The “It Bag”: The Sienna Bag (Ultra-slouchy, distressed leathers featuring signature metallic hardware rings and heavy braided straps popularized by Sienna Miller).

  

  • The Founders: Mother-daughter duo Bonnie and Abbe Held. They left the business after selling a majority stake to raise capital for scaling.

  • Where it is today: Out of business. In the mid-2000s, Kooba secured a major growth investment from the private equity firm Swander Pace Capital. The brand was eventually offloaded to retail giant Swat Fame Inc. in 2012, but it quietly dissolved in the late 2010s due to oversaturation and the collapse of traditional department store retail.

• Be & D — The “It Bag”: The Garbo Bag (A structured punk-rock shoulder bag lined with intense, highly symmetrical rows of heavy metallic studs).

  

  • The Founders: Be Inthavong and Steve Dumain. Both exited the brand prior to its closure. Be moved into luxury hand-woven textile manufacturing, and Steve went on to consult for major retail corporations.

  • Where it is today: Out of business. Operating as a completely independent, self-funded luxury venture that built its own factory in NYC’s Garment District, it eventually licensed out designs for labels like Diane von Furstenberg. However, unable to survive the post-recession shift, it shuttered its doors around 2014 after a failed pivot into mass-market sneakers.

• Isabella Fiore — The “It Bag”: The Audra Embroidered Tote (Highly maximalist bohemian canvas and leather bags featuring intense embroidery, beadwork, and custom texturing).

  

  • The Founder: Jennifer Tash. She exited the line when the original parent company ran into deep financial strain during the retail crash.

  • Where it is today: Out of business. The brand hit major distribution issues and filed for corporate bankruptcy protection during the economic crisis in late 2008. The intellectual property was subsequently licensed out to Artisan House (a division of lines like Matrix Now) in 2010 for a brief, mass-market retail revival, but the independent edge was gone, and the line officially went defunct shortly thereafter.

• Bulga (later known as Le'Bulga) — The “It Bag”: The Butterfly Bag (An ultra-slouchy, multi-pocket hobo crafted from buttery-soft lambskin leather that folded over gracefully into a wing-like silhouette).

  

• The Founder: Natalia Konovalova. She is no longer part of the business. As an Uzbek immigrant who graduated from FIDM, she self-funded the brand entirely out of NYC’s Garment District before it blew up on the shoulders of stars like Jessica Simpson and Miley Cyrus.

• Where it is today: Out of business. The brand quietly collapsed in the early 2010s. Because Konovalova insisted on maintaining high-quality, independent luxury production standards, the company was hit hard by skyrocketing material costs and post-recession department store inventory rollbacks. Lacking a major corporate licensing or private equity buyout to cushion the blow, it ultimately dissolved.

Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.

Subscribe now

This past weekend, I walked the Not Normal Retail Show with eBay in New York City, which was a veritable high of vintage shopping. For your sake, and mine, I take note of trends, and what speaks the loudest is always what is being shown at a second-hand high-end market.

The overwhelming takeaway? The cookie-cutter, minimalist aesthetic of the last few years is officially on life support. Archival collectors and everyday consumers alike are hunting for bags packed with personality, structural audacity, and tactile maximalism.

Here are the 4 megatrends driving culture right now, and the independent brand already cracking the code.

1. The Baguette is the Indisputable Blueprint

The resale market’s fixation on early-2000s proportions has become fully entrenched. The shoulder-clearing baguette silhouette dominated the show floor, serving as a blank canvas for extreme surface drama.

Minimalist leather took a backseat to intricate, all-over glass beadwork in lime yellow, shimmering black metallics, and ultra-glamorous pink sequins. From liquid-looking metallics to rustic woven straw and pony hair, consumers are demanding iconic archival shapes reimagined with distinct textile depth.

The Visual Reference:

2. Heavy Hardware & Equestrian Structuralism

Before the industry retreated into “Quiet Luxury,” the early 2000s relied on bold, unapologetic structural hardware to define a bag’s silhouette. That heavy-metal energy is roaring back.

The legendary Tom Ford-era Gucci horsebit clutches, shown in sleek black monogram and studded canvas with rich oxblood trim, demonstrated how hardware can serve as the literal framework of a bag rather than just a simple closure. On the utility side, John Galliano-era Dior “Street Chic” shoulder bags utilized heavy metal eyelets, rugged canvas webbing straps, and industrial logo plates to transform sporty textiles into high-fashion artifacts.

The Visual Reference:

3. High-Kitsch Artisanal Textures

Buyers are actively avoiding smooth, flat surfaces. Touchability, surface reflection, and distinct physical craft are massive selling points right now.

The show highlighted a craving for highly specific, artisanal storytelling. Standouts included a spectacular wicker basket vanity bag encrusted with real seashells and pearls and an elegant evening pouch constructed from a mosaic of square-cut mother-of-pearl tiles. Whether it’s iridescent-scaled metallics or python-embossed trunks, surface-level reflection is paramount.

The Visual Reference:

4. The Modern Translation: RAPT New York

So, how does a modern, independent handbag brand compete in a market obsessed with archival Grails? You look at RAPT New York (who will be at the IT BAG x NY NOW in August), which had an absolute standout presentation at the show. They provide a masterclass in synthesizing vintage nostalgia into contemporary retail hits without outright copying the past.

• The “Pop-Art” Dot: Rather than leaning into loud logomania, RAPT captured the joyful, color-blocked spirit of the Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton era by using multicolored, candy-like circular studs on boxy, structured flap bags

  

• Amplified Hardware: Nodding to the heavy studding of the mid-2000s motorcycle era, RAPT’s black leather shoulder bags feature rows of oversized, polished chrome domes. The hardware becomes the primary graphic identity of the bag.

  

The Designer’s Takeaway

The design choices displayed across these collections make one thing incredibly clear: mass production is out, and distinct personality is in.

Whether you are designing a bag that leans into the hyper-feminine romance of beads, the sharp edge of heavy metal equestrian hardware, or the clean pop-art geometric energy of an independent brand like RAPT, your main objective should be to create something collectible. Design bags that don’t just sit on a shelf, but tell a story worth hunting for.

What trend from the show floor inspired you the most? Are you team Heavy Hardware or team High-Kitsch?

Subscribe now

Curated by handbag talent scout Emily Blumenthal, The It Bag is not just a trade show booth; it is a premier destination. Featuring only the best-selling “It Bags” from each designer, the space is designed to mirror the experience of shopping a luxury accessories floor at Nordstrom rather than navigating a traditional wholesale market.

The It Bag Summer 2026 Designer Lineup

The Summer 2026 edition features a tightly curated group of 10 independent handbag designers selected for their exceptional craftsmanship, originality, and retail readiness:

RETURNING FOR THE SECOND TIME

• Nicole Levy — RAPT New York (@rapt.new.york)

  • Origin: New York, NY | Made in: NYC Garment Center

  • Retail: $350–$495

  • The Edge: Designed by the manufacturer for some of the biggest contemporary brands, Rapt blends Italian leather with edgy mixed metals for a seamless day-to-night transition.

  • Retailers: Gito (NJ), Julian Gold (TX).

• Ana María Laverde — ANA LAVERDE (@analaverde.leather)

  • Origin: Bogotá, Colombia | Made in: Bogotá, Colombia

  • Retail: $500

  • The Edge: Exceptional geometry and vibrant color stories for the urban woman. These light Napa leather bags are rooted in Colombian heritage with a modern, high-fashion twist.

RETURNING FOR THE THIRD TIME

• Sujin Osatarayakul & Kazumi Takahashi — ELEMOOD (@elemood.official)

  • Origin: Japan/Thailand | Made in: Thailand

  • Retail: $200–$300

  • The Edge: Founded by an architect, ELEMOOD explores the dialogue between Bauhaus structure and Japanese origami. These sculptural, geometric bags are as practical as they are artistic.

  • Retailers: Wolf & Badger (LA & Soho NYC).

NEW TO THE SHOWCASE

• Markus Richtmann — Richtmann Sweden (@richtmann_atelier)

  • Origin: Skellefteå, Sweden | Made in: Sweden

  • Retail: €700–€900

  • The Edge: Handmade using premium Swedish quality leather. Every bag features his signature wrap-around strap that threads through the Richtmann sign—a detail originally designed for his wife, Frida.

• Penny Crook — Daneault (@shopdaneault)

  • Origin: Loudon, TN | Made in: Kolkata, India

  • Retail: $225–$475

  • The Edge: Features the world’s first and only patented luxury leather reversible handbags. Inspired by a 50-year-old family heirloom, these bags offer two designer looks in one without compromising structure.

  • Retailers: Reeds Dept Store, Draper James.

• Cassandra Kane — Sieme (@we.are.sieme)

  • Origin: Florence, Italy | Made in: Tuscany, Italy

  • Retail: $250–$1,100

  • The Edge: 100% upcycled luxury. Sieme rescues leather discarded by the Italian luxury industry, transforming it into hand-woven, knotted, and macramé masterpieces via family-run Tuscan workshops.

• Lori Tyberg — Siena Wolf (@siena__wolf)

  • Origin: Los Angeles, CA | Made in: Florence, Italy

  • Retail: $1,350–$1,890

  • The Edge: Named after her children, Siena Wolf represents a deliberate return to intentional design. These bags offer high-level Italian craftsmanship and lasting design for a sophisticated everyday life.

  

• Ann Gaylord — Ann Gaylord (@anngaylordbags)

  • Origin: Baltimore, MD | Made in: USA

  • Retail: $400

  • The Edge: A whimsical take on luxury; these bags are handcrafted from real sports balls. Fully customizable with spunky embellishments and interchangeable handles, they are the ultimate personalized gift.

• Gabriela Sánchez & Ana González Barragán — GAG (@gagbag.mx)

  • Origin: Mexico City, Mexico | Made in: León, Guanajuato, Mexico

  • Retail: $40–$280

  • The Edge: Minimalist, durable essentials made from LWG-certified Mexican leather. GAG follows a fair trade model and offers repair services to ensure each piece lasts a lifetime.

  • Retailers: Denver Museum of Contemporary Art.

Exclusive Collaboration Returns

Handbag Designer 101 x BAIKAL

Continuing the momentum of previous shows, this exclusive capsule collection returns with Emily Blumenthal and Nicole Levy of the Baikal Handbag Factory. The collaboration introduces a vintage-inspired silhouette—aptly named “The It Bag”—blending timeless design with modern relevance to create the next must-have style for serious handbag collectors.

Visit the Showcase

The Summer 2026 collections will be on view at The It Bag x NY NOW, August 2–4, 2026, located in aisle 400 adjacent to Luxury Lifestyle at the Jacob Javits Center, New York City. Don’t forget to tune into Handbag Designer 101 Podcast, where you can catch the stories of our incredible lineup of talented designers.

Buyers and press are invited to experience these highly curated collections firsthand in a premium environment designed for discovery and high-velocity sell-through.

Subscribe now

THE TREND PIECE

It’s clear that the era of “Quiet Luxury” has been replaced by a vibrant, tactile maximalism. The bags of 2026 aren’t just carriers; they are biographies. We are seeing a fascinating collision between the structured “Lady-Bag” and the chaotic “Indie Sleaze” icon.

1. The Slouch and the Stud

The return of the Balenciaga City Bag signals a shift back to bags that look better the more you use them. We all know my obsession with this bag being the ultimate case study on developing bags that can iterate into eternity.

This “Indie Sleaze” staple, along with the heavily pocketed silver Miu Miu utility bag

and the punk-coded Dior “Hardcore” Saddle Bag

proves that collectors are hunting for pieces with edge. Even the iconic Fendi Baguette is getting a makeover with heavy studs and vibrant embroidery, moving away from the simple logos of the past.

Indie Sleaze: A high-energy, messy-glamour aesthetic popularized between 2005 and 2012. It’s defined by a rejection of “polished” luxury in favor of slouchy leathers, metallic finishes, heavy hardware, and an overall mood of “just got home from a secret concert.” In the vintage world, it marks the transition of the Y2K era to “archival” status.

2. The Return of the “Click”

There is a newfound romance with mechanical closures. The “industrial chic” of Bonnie Cashin’s Coach designs with their signature brass turnlocks feels incredibly modern right now.

This structural integrity is echoed in the Salvatore Ferragamo Kelly-style bag

and the Miu Miu Arcadie, which uses a polka-dot motif to soften its rigid bowling-bag shape.

Even the Prada Nylon Gauffré uses texture and ruched “tessuto” to provide a sensory experience that flat leather can’t match.

3. Novelty as Narrative

For the “New Antiquarian,” a bag must be a conversation starter. We saw this in the bejeweled Mary Frances Camera Bag,

a vintage fruit-beaded flap bag,

and the Issey Miyake Bao Bao clutch, which brought a digital, geometric sharpness to the vintage mix.

4. Heritage Craft

Finally, we saw a massive resurgence in traditional textiles. The vintage tapestry frame bag, modernized with a chunky amber resin chain,

is the ultimate example of how to wear “grandma’s closet” in a way that feels current. From maritime ship clutches

and ruby glass fringe reticules, the focus is on the human hand behind the object.

Ultimately, the surge of these specific pieces at the Manhattan Vintage Show isn't just a coincidence of timing; it’s a direct response to a global landscape that feels increasingly automated and intangible. In an era of AI-generated perfection and "Logomania" fatigue, we are witnessing a collective pivot toward sensory grounding and narrative-driven style, which is epitomized by the concept of SEE-FEEL-TOUCH.

Subscribe now

Historically, trade shows are isolating. You’re on an island, crossing your fingers that a buyer wanders down your specific aisle. But we decided to do things differently.

Two shows in, and I can officially say: We are the darlings of NY NOW.

Why? Because there is an absolute deficit of newness in the industry right now. Buyers are tired of seeing the same recycled silhouettes and “safe” choices. They are hungry for innovation, for craft, and for the spark that only an independent designer can bring. When we showed up at NY NOW, everyone—and I mean everyone—was coming to our section to see the “new talent.” We didn’t just bring bags; we brought the pulse back to the floor.

The Hard Truth: You Are Nothing Without Boutique Business

Let’s get real for a second. If you are serious about being a handbag brand—not just a “project,” but a brand—you need to stop chasing the vanity of giant department stores that might bury you in the back and start focusing on the boutique business.

Here is the FOMO you should be feeling: if you aren’t in these boutiques, you are missing out on the only partners who actually give a damn about your growth. These boutique owners are the ones who will market you on their Instagram, promote your story to their loyal regulars, and—most importantly—they pay you on time. They aren’t just accounts; they are your street team. They support your growth by hosting in-person events where you can meet their fans, shake hands, and turn a one-time purchaser into a lifelong superfan. If you’re not in the room where these boutique buyers shop, you’re essentially invisible to the people who build brands.

Not Just a Fashion Play

One of the reasons NY NOW is such a secret weapon for us is that it isn’t just “fashion retail.” It’s so much bigger. Think about it: every luxury gift shop, every high-end museum shop, every resort boutique—they all buy bags. Handbags are the ultimate universal gift.

In our most recent show, we curated the most incredible group of designers I have ever had the pleasure of hosting. We didn’t just set up displays; we created an environment.

The “Nordstrom” Effect

We broke the trade show mold. Instead of that cold, “don’t touch” vibe, we built a space that was warm, inviting, and—dare I say—electric. I watched as buyers walked into our area, and their entire energy changed. They went from display to display with the same excitement you see when someone is shopping the handbag floor at Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. They weren’t just “sourcing”; they were shopping.

Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t

I know the logistics of a trade show can be a nightmare, which is why we’ve stripped away the headache. We have exactly what a designer needs to thrive: the move-in and move-out process is completely seamless. There are no hidden “gotcha” fees or astronomical drayage costs. Our curated display is perfectly designed to showcase your best 7-10 bags—the “hero” pieces that define your brand. You don’t need a mountain of inventory; you need the right eyes on your best work. The buyers are watching, and my team and I are right there on the floor with you to ensure your success and make sure your story gets told.

Don’t Get Left Behind

We’ve proven that when you group the right talent together and give them a stage that feels like a luxury retail experience, the industry notices. The “Handbag Village” is where the innovation lives.

The question is: are you going to stay on the sidelines, or are you going to be the new talent that everyone is talking about? We are filling the void of newness one stitch at a time. Don’t let the next show happen without you.

Apply to the It Bag x NY NOW Here

Stay inspired, stay designing, and remember: your brand is only as big as your hustle.

Emily, The Handbag Fairy Godmother

Subscribe now

My friend Danielle, who was working at Fiorucci, invited me to their grand re-opening party in June of 2001. That’s what we did back then, when you had industry friends, you invited each other to parties. Fiorucci was going to be a big one, considering they were re-opening since the 1980’s with a lot of fanfare on 622 Broadway - which is something I couldn’t forget because my birthday was 6-22. As a young and relatively new handbag designer who had “invented” a handbag that was a wallet-wristlet fusion, I had to take every single opportunity that came my way to actively promote my “little handbag to hold onto when you go out.” The brand was called Yasmena, which, in my naivety, I believed I could never name after myself (who would want a handbag called “Emily Blumenthal,” and what would I do if it were ever sold?). It sounded exotic, could be pronounced by everyone, and felt global, much like how I perceived my brand.

The Yasmena bag was spawned (much like the hundreds of times I have told this story) when I was working at a now-defunct nightlife magazine doing ad sales, going to my MBA classes, and then going out, where I became a rep for my then-DJ boyfriend. I was hungry to start my own business because everyone in my family was an entrepreneur, and I was miserable day-jobbing. Keep in mind, the internet was still just learning to walk, magazines ruled supreme, and Sex and the City controlled the destiny of any aspirational designer. I had that designer “Ah Hah!” moment that I know have to control myself when I hear others say this to me since I have worked with handbag designers in the thousands to date, but I saw girls doing that ceremonial dance around their handbags, coupled with seeing clutches getting swiped, and the impossibility to hold a bag, and a drink at the same time - my purpose was brought to me on a silver platter. I found a woman in the garment center that I knew all too well from having been around it my whole life, in a bead shop that could sew with elastic thread, make a ring at the bottom, and a bracelet at the top, bead the little bag pouch, and then voilà! I had my first sample. I started going to my friends in the industry, created a one-sheet of testimonials on why this bag was needed to create a media kit (which was needed then), and set off to try to get editorial coverage. And on another whim, a childhood friend of mine had a friend who worked as a patent attorney, whom I randomly called and asked if it was possible to patent handbags, which then set off my additional journey into IP protection, (without which I would never have had multiple licensing deals, or the ability to knock myself off and create my own dupe…)

Anyway, I am at this Fiorucci party, and my friend pointed out Rebecca Weinberg (who went by Rebecca Field at the time), and I was immediately zoned in on her whereabouts the entire time. Rebecca was part of the styling dynamic duo with Patricia Field of Sex and the City, who were responsible for putting countless itty-bitty unknowns like me on the map, and hell hath no fury like a hustling designer. Keep in mind, I was not a designer by trade, had relatively no background in handbags, and only knew how to sell and market media. Selling, I was good at, making a handbag - not so much. I was not going to let this night pass and have this opportunity disappear on me, so after the red drink, the blue drink, and then the purple drink (figure that one out), I set off and started dancing, by myself, pretty much in front of Rebecca. Mission accomplished. She looked at me (probably because I looked like a freak) and then said, “Cute bag - it might work on the show I am doing.” Play dumb, I did, but clearly, mission accomplished. I brought Dunkin’ Donuts Muchkins and a mini suitcase filled with Yasmena bag samples to Silvercup Studios, where Sex and the City was shot. A very fashionable girl said, “Leave them all here, and we will review them at our run-through, and then you can come pick them up.” Confused as to why I wasn’t part of this conversation with SJP herself because, in my delusion, I assumed she and I would meet, I would sell her on the fact that my little bag held the essentials: cash, credit card, lipstick, keys, and a flip-phone, all in the palm of your hand, on top of your hand, or hang like a bracelet to go with your jewelry. She was also confused about the Munchkins, but I told her that I thought people were happier looking at handbags with snacks. (I still think that’s true.) A week later, I received a call to “collect my bags,” with no update, no news, nothing. Rebecca was kind enough to say she couldn’t say yes or no, but it wasn’t looking good since nothing had been pulled.

August rolled around, and I was at my first trade show where I had built my booth to look like a nightclub with the spare fabric from my father’s office and set up my little bags on the wall to show that the Yasmena bag was for that true city party girl, and the panacea of everything she had been looking for in a solution pouch that looked like jewelry but carrything everything she needed. I had moved on (which you have to quickly in a small business) and was busy trying to grab buyers who walked by. Mind you, my Yasmena bags were small. Like palm-size small - like a phone, bigger than a flip phone, bigger than the bag small, so it took a LOT of bags to fill up the wall for decoration. I remember distinctly, though, I was talking to a buyer when Rebecca called me out of the blue and said, “Sarah Jessica picked out my bag,” and “How fast can you get your bags to the Hudson Hotel?” I called my mom, who ran into the Piers, handed her most of my bags, leaving my booth pretty much desolate, so she could drive there and drop them off. (She said the teamsters were very nice to her and let her park on the sidewalk.)

And that was that. I held my breath, waited and waited - watched every single episode not knowing it would show up. Finally, on a Sunday, January 20th, 2002, Sex and the City, Season 4, Episode 15, “Change of Dress” aired on HB0. And there it was, at the Black and White Ball, Miranda announces she is having a boy, Samantha finds out Richard is cheating on her with Bebe London, and Carrie shows up with Aidan in a magical white Badgley Mischka gown, wearing my little Yasmena bag. You can see it for a whole seven seconds. That’s it. By the next scene, at the fountain (ironically on the Upper West Side?) Carrie tells Aidan she can’t marry him, and my bag is no longer there. (My mom was not happy.) But I knew that’s how TV works. But. What you do with your seven seconds is really up to you. This was my chance.

I contacted the New York Times (multiple times), convinced Ruth La Ferla to do a piece on “Success Stories from Sex and the City,” and I had everyone I knew email InStyle Magazine on their “Where Can I Find?” section, asking “what was that little bag?” which led to a feature. I was able to get my bags sold at Henri Bendel (RIP). Bloomingdale’s and Fred Segal. I started adjunct professoring at LIM College, Parsons The New School for Design, and then the Fashion Institute of Technology. I won a nationwide competition to get on QVC, knocked my brand off to create a lower-priced version called “The Yazzy Bag,” had a license with Adidas, and had those bags sold at Belk, Dillard’s, Von Maur, and Boscov’s. I wrote a book, Handbag Designer 101 (Voyageur Press), about how to be a handbag designer when you aren’t trained in design, which sold 50,000 copies.

I created The Independent Handbag Designer Awards, which ran for 15 years, during which we discovered hundreds of designers from across the globe, wrote visas for talent to enter the country, and worked with Bloomingdale’s (again), Macy’s, and Timberland. The Handbag Awards partnered with InStyle for 9 years to sponsor our Audience Fan Favorite Category, where they achieved the largest result in any of their dot-com polls. In 2018, the New York Times called me the “Handbag Fairy Godmother.” I moved into handbag collaborations on a larger scale, ran an incubator for handbag designers, wrote a children’s book called Savvy Suzanna’s Amazing Adventures in Handbags, and created a Savvy Suzanna Build-a-Bag kit that’s now at Walmart. I have the only podcast dedicated to handbags called Handbag Designer 101, and I am working on something so revolutionary in handbags - it will literally make everyone feel like a handbag designer. And ever so often, someone somewhere posts a photo that was taken for me on the set of Sarah Jessica Parker so I could have “something to show people to prove she was wearing my Yasmena bag” on Sex and the City, just to remind me how far a little hustle and handbag will go.

Subscribe now

P.S. - you never know. Thank you for bringing me back to my roots.

See four of our talents that we need to know.

A by Anyah: Anyah Sealy

Uptown Common by Grand Anderson

Lauren Reed by Lauren Reed

Ana Laverde by Ana Laverde

Subscribe now

Key Takeaways:
 • Speed needs standards — Move quickly, but never at the expense of materials or values.
 • Product first, story second — Narrative only works when the bag performs.
 • Set non-negotiables — Clear brand DNA makes tough decisions easier.

Our Guest:
 Lauren Reed is the founder and designer of a purpose-driven handbag brand produced in partnership with generational leather artisans in Guatemala. Focused on vegetable-tanned leather, thoughtful function, and ethical production practices, she blends retail insight with disciplined execution to build bags designed to age beautifully and perform in everyday life.

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com. 

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner

Key Takeaways:
 • Perception drives performance — Store experience shapes value before price does.
 • Protect the halo — Hero styles anchor growth and prevent brand confusion.
 • Test tight, scale smart — Clean buys and strong sell-through beat bloated assortments.

Our Guest:
 Matthew Lafargue is a retail and wholesale strategist at Accessory Think Tank, with experience spanning department stores and billion-dollar accessory portfolios. Known for blending field insight with financial rigor, he helps brands sharpen presentation, strengthen hero products, and scale without losing their edge.

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com. 

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner

Key Takeaways:
 • Convenience is table stakes — Connection is the moat.
 • Invest in people, not just products — Teams translate brand into loyalty.
 • Local wins — Smaller formats and mono-brand stores are redefining retail growth.

Our Guest:
 William Brobston is a retail leader with experience spanning luxury fashion, jewelry, beauty, and home. Known for building high-performing teams and blending retail anthropology with analytics, he advises brands on how to localize assortments, elevate in-store storytelling, and create community-driven growth in an evolving market.

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com. 

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner

Having worked with every single fashion-related trade show with The Handbag Awards, which was the origin of how the IT BAG came to be, NY NOW always stood out. The variety of buyers (who are shopping for more than just apparel, which limits handbag designers), the different types of exhibitors, and, mostly, the people in charge.

With the first meeting to discuss the construct of having a to-the-point presentation, shelving units that demonstrate the best-selling bags of designers, and the opportunity of being able to see-feel-touch and shop as though they were at Nordstrom, they said, “Yes, we see it too,” we hit the ground running.

This was the second IT BAG x NY NOW, and I have to say, I was over the moon. Our footprint was PACKED! We had buyers dipping in and out, going from designer to designer, learning about bags made in Colombia, Guatemala, Thailand, Paris, Indiana, Spain, Morocco, and NYC, all saying this was the best product demonstration they had seen in years.

We laughed, talked, and the three days zipped by, something I didn’t realize was even possible at a trade show. If you can ignore how tired I look in this picture, everyone is smiling. See below for a clip of how great it was.

That said, we are locked and loaded into the realm of handbags. On Handbag Designer 101 Podcast, we had Lew Frankfort from Coach (quite the coup…), Dana Auslander, who created the Birkin Fund, Nancy Forman, who covers the value of boutiques for brands, Brittany Hennessey, who covers how to go viral, and influencer Wale Sanni, who speaks the gospel of what’s going on in retail.

In addition, we are still running Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass, and I am offering three one-on-one meetings (before, during, and after) to help grow your brand. Savvy Suzanna’s Amazing Adventures in Handbags is available for sale, and head to Walmart in-store (or Fashionangels.com online) to get the Savvy Suzanna’s Build-a-Bag Kit.

That’s all for now. You know where to find me.

Subscribe now

Key Takeaways:
 • Detach ego from product — The customer, not the designer, makes the final call.
 • Craft + commerce win together — Material knowledge and pricing discipline sharpen creativity.
 • Build heroes, cut the rest — Staying power comes from focus, not excess.

Our Guest:
 Anyah Sealy is the founder and creative director of A by Anyah, a handbag brand rooted in global craftsmanship and modern functionality. With training spanning Ghana, Paris, and major fashion houses across menswear, womenswear, and kids, Anyah brings a rare blend of emotional design and market intelligence to accessories built for everyday impact.

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com. 

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner